ANCHORAGE, Alaska/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shell may have moved an oil rig that ran aground off Alaska last week partly to avoid millions of dollars in taxes, U.S. Rep. Ed Markey said, raising even more questions about the oil company's decision on the timing of the move.

The letter from the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee adds to the already-intense political scrutiny of Royal Dutch Shell's ambitious and troubled Arctic drilling foray last year.

In a letter to Shell's top U.S. executive, Marvin Odum, Markey said the decision to move the rig "may have been driven, in part, by a desire to avoid...tax liability on the rig."

The usual bad move by oil industry executives. Moving the 'big' rig so far into the winter season risked many lives for very small savings on a tax cheat scheme. Royal Dutch Shell and their top executives have proved once again they are just a bunch of greedy and suprisingly stupid beancounters.

Some of the shill defenders of the 'industry' must change the subject here per the API playbook. As usual they ignore the facts and subject at hand.

Palying a tax-dodging Shell game instead of doing due diligence for safety. Just one more way that Shell has proven itself unfit for the job. Shut down this snakebit Arctic drilling tomfoolery, before it becomes another huge catastrophe.

Move where it's cheaper. As in California residents could save thousands of dollars per year by moving to another state. Florida is at least half that expensive and we have all the serene beauty, peace and tranquility you would want in life. Our low gas prices and housing for starters.